Chapter 11 - market revolution

eli whitney

invented the cotton gin which was 50x faster then by hand, invention increased dependence on slavery

pre-emption act

encouraged squatting for cheap land

graduation act

gradually decreased the price of unsold land

transportation

roads, turnpikes, national road, river transport

flat boats

large rafts farmers used to transport goods

robert fulton

invented the steamboat - first commercially successful steamboat the clermont

eerie canal

first canal in the united states

railroads

built by private investors, funded by government

samuel morse

invented the telegraph and morse code

lowell system

community work done by lowell girls

power loom

spinning and weaving could be done at the same time

family system

hiring immigrant families, 70 hour work week.

company towns

company apartments, stores, rent, currency

irish

fleeing english oppression, potato famine, desperate for work

american party

aka “know nothing” party, wanted to exclude foreigners and catholics from office

labor unions

advocated for workers life, early ones not very effective - usually by trade, supreme court rules that these are legal

Commonwealth vs Hunt

unions are legal and cannot be discriminated against, did not elect many people but had some influence

commonwealth vs hunt enabled

free public education, no debtor’s prisons, shorter work days